We hope the Mozambique poll suspense is settled

For 75 long days Mozambicans, Sadc and watchers of that country’s politics had been in suspense.

The country staged a general election on October 9 and two weeks later, the election management body announced preliminary results which showed the Frelimo party retaining power with a crushing majority.

But Maputo’s electoral law requires the Constitutional Council to validate the results and formally declare the winner. As the supreme electoral body undertook its arduous task, the opposition in that country was staging violent protests, alleging without providing any evidence, that the election was flawed. A number of people have died in the disorder while business has suffered too.

The suspense ended on Monday when the council finally pronounced itself on the poll. It declared Frelimo candidate, Cde Daniel Chapo the victor with a 65 percent mandate. In second place is Mr Venancio Mondlane, a pastor-turned-politician who contested as an independent candidate and got 25 percent of the vote.

In parliament, Frelimo, in power since 1975, secured 195 seats versus Podemos, an opposition party which backed Mr Mondlane, which got 31. Renamo, a former rebel movement, came third with 20 constituencies, a 40-seat decline on its 2019 performance.

Given the suspense, and the disorder that accompanied that period, we hope that the Monday statement by the council has closed Mozambique’s 2024 electoral contest. All the energies will now be channelled towards Cde Chapo’s inauguration and his formation of a new government to govern our sister republic for the next five years.

Mozambique, like Zambia and Tanzania, occupies a special place in the hearts of every Zimbabwean. Without Mozambique and Zambia’s support, our liberation war would most likely have struggled, even failed. The two countries served as trusted rear bases for our freedom fighters. They provided material and moral support as well. For that magnanimity towards our liberation movement, they actually suffered military retribution from the Rhodesian army.

Because of this formidable shared history and the fact that communities along our border with Mozambique have blood relatives on either side, we urge our brothers and sisters to find each other, shun violence, talk and practise peace for greater national development.

Mozambique is a massive country with abundant natural resources. From rubies to natural gas; from wildlife to a high-potential blue economy. She has ports that serve as vital links for her landlocked neighbours such as our country, Malawi and Zambia to global export markets.

These resources and geographical advantage will only bring tangibles to our sister republic if it enjoys peace.
We are optimistic that, indeed, with the Constitutional Council having spoken, our brothers and sisters in Mozambique will listen and unite to build their great country.

We cite Sadc Chairperson, President Mnangagwa elsewhere on these pages noting the same.

“The ruling by that country’s top electoral court, which upheld Frelimo Party’s victory, completes and thus exhausts all lawful processes on determining election results, in line with that country’s national laws, and in keeping with Sadc’s Election Guidelines and expectations,” he said.

“Sadc thus expects all parties to the electoral process, both individually and collectively, to abide by the decision of the Council which should provide a constitutional way forward for the country, and facilitate the way to greater peace, normalcy and stability in the interest of all Mozambicans.”